Finding Aid

Digital Surrogates: Except where indicated, this document describes but does not reproduce the actual text, images and objects which make up this collection. Materials are available only in the Special Collections Department.

Use of Collections: The University of Iowa Libraries supports access to the materials, published and unpublished, in its collections. Nonetheless, access to some items may be restricted by their fragile condition or by contractual agreement with donors, and it may not be possible at all times to provide appropriate machinery for reading, viewing or accessing non-paper-based materials. Please read our Use of Manuscripts Statement.

Acquisition and Processing Information: Accepted from a Marsh relative by the University of Arkansas and transferred to the University of Iowa. The materials were sorted and thiis finding aid drafted by Eliza Ahrens in 2007.

Photographs: Box 5

Scope and Contents

The Marsh Papers have been organized in two series (I: Writing; II: Personal) with the first in two sub-series (A: Novels; B: Short Works). A list of Marsh's published writing, compiled from various sources and probably not complete, is appended.

Biographical Note

WILLARD MARSH (1922-1970) was born in Oakland, California, son of Louis and Goldie (Greene) Marsh. While in Oakland High School he displayed a virtuosity with trumpet and trombone which led to an era as musician-impresario -- the launching of "Will Marsh and the Four Collegians" in an Oakland roadhouse -- which subsequently financed his education at the State College at Chico.

During World War II, while serving U.S. Army Air Forces (1942-45) in the South Pacific (advanced to staff sergeant), he began to write and subsequently acquired degrees at the University of Iowa Writers’ Workshop (B.A., 1959, M.A., 1960). Marsh married George Rae Williams (a former actress at Pasadena Playhouse), September 4, 1948.

He taught at Winthrop College, Rock Hill, SC, assistant professor of English, 1959-61; University of California, Los Angeles, assistant professor of English, 1961-64; North Texas State University, Denton, assistant professor of English, 1968-70. He was a free-lance writer in Mexico before, between, and after these years, placing stories in more than seventy periodicals, including Antioch Review, Furioso, Prairie Schooner, Northwest Review, Yale Review, Esquire, Playboy, Transatlantic Review, and Saturday Evening Post. His stories were selected for such anthologies as the Foley and O'Henry collections.

Box Contents List

Series I: Writing Correspondence is arranged chronologically as much as possible, based on printed dates and Marsh’s list of returns and mailings kept for each story. Correspondence of note is listed, but this inventory by no means contains an exhaustive list of the correspondence therein. Correspondence includes material both sent to and by Marsh.

A. Novels

Typescripts, galleys, page proofs, copies of published books; Reviews, correspondence with publishers etc. have been separated but not further organized.

4. “Blood Harvest,” 1963, published in The University of Denver Quarterly’s premier issue, May 1966 - Draft, 1963

5. “Blood Harvest” - Correspondence: 1958-1967, includes cover letter, communication with Monica McCall Inc., The University of Denver Quarterly, The Sewanee Review, The University of Texas Quarterly,Rust Hills, George Plimpton at The Paris Review, and Marsh’s correspondence notes

6. “Cast a Crooked Shadow,” published in Cavalier January 1968 - Draft and correspondence including invoice from Cavalier and Marsh’s correspondence notes

11. “Double Negative” - Correspondence: 1960-1969, includes communication from George Plimpton at The Paris Review, Don Wasson at Vedette, and Marsh’s correspondence notes

12. “Everyone’s Home Town is Cuernica,” (aka “The Cat”) published in Motive May 1964 and Fantasy and Science Fiction Summer 1965 – Draft and correspondence of rewrite as “Everyone’s Home Town…” including invoices and change requests from Motive and Fantasy and Science Fiction, also initial draft and correspondence regarding “The Cat”

15. “Just a Song at Twilight”, 1961 - Draft and correspondence (1962-1969), including communication with George Hitchcock at The San Francisco Review, Nugget, Sir, Louis Byrne editor, Today, Gay, Drum, and Publisher’s Service Incorporated regarding the story’s homosexual themes, as well as Marsh’s correspondence notes

21. “On Jordan’s Stormy Banks,” (aka “To Bear the Beams of Love) published by The North American Review summer 1964 - Drafts and correspondence including George Plimpton at The Paris Review and Evan Connell at Angel Island Publications

22. “A Piece of Altruism” - Drafts and correspondence

23. “Repeat Customer,” published in Inland: a Literary Quarterly Summer 1962 - Correspondence including Inland, Richard Gosswiller at The Kiwanis Magazine, and Jerome Stern at The Carolina Quarterly

25. “A Sentimental Journey,” published in The Carolina Quarterly Spring 1964 - Draft and Correspondence (1960-1964) including George Plimpton at The Paris Review, extensive correspondence with editors and staff of The Carolina Quarterly regarding publication, and Marsh’s correspondence notes

26. “The Sin of Edna Schuster,” published in Fantasy and Science Fiction - Draft and correspondence, including invoice from FSF, and communication from Dude N’Gent